My first role in August turned out to be one of the highlights of my summer, the NEC group at Present and Facilitate in York. For three and a half days, members of the NEC bonded and embarrassed ourselves, laughed and scowled. It may sound strange but it was great to have someone to tell us our weaknesses and where we could improve on them to make us better NEC members. Coupled with an embarrassing rendition of “Ice Ice Baby” and a duet with Pav Akhtar, it was a great event where I again met officers who inspired me and I hope I helped them a little bit as well.

I left York the night of the 12th to make sure I was bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning for the 3rd NEC meeting. After the NEC meeting I headed to crash at a friend in London over the weekend.

On Tuesday 17th I headed into HQ, where I met with Julian Nicholds to discuss our ideas for the NUS Environmental Campaign and prepare for our meeting the following day with the Columbia Solidarity Campaign. Our meeting on the 18th with the two Columbia Solidarity Campaign convenors was extremely productive in which we explained how the student movement could work with their issues and the democratic processes involved to pass policy on issues. Our meeting was in the TUC education centre where I stayed overnight so I could help out with Support and Represent the following day.

On the 20th I went to Aston University, where we held an Environmental Campaign committee meeting with the present NEC committee members and James Lloyd, last years convenor so we could assess the direction we felt the campaign should head in.

On Monday the 23rd I headed to my fourth and final training event, People and Money in the TUC education centre (I will genuinely miss the place!!!). On the Thursday I then had a panic to get home to Nottingham to see one of my close friends off to France on his Erasmus year.

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